When Nokkvi Thorisson arrived at ºüÀêÊÓƵ City SC last summer, one of the first things that stood out, before he even got on the field, was his distinctive headband, holding back his long hair.
But when Thorisson showed up in camp in January, the headband was gone. A new shorter haircut had made it unnecessary. But look for it to return.
“I sort of felt like (cutting) it,†he said, “and my wife misses the long hair already. So I'm probably going to grow it back out.
“I asked her about it, and she said, ‘You choose, you’re beautiful both ways.’ And I was like yeah, I'm going to try it. ... It will be coming back, don’t worry.â€
Whatever happens with Thorisson’s hair, his role this season with City SC figures to be different than last season. He was the splashier of the team’s two acquisitions in the summer transfer window but didn’t make much of an impact. He appeared in just nine of the team’s final 13 games, including the playoffs, and played just 20 minutes over the final six games. He made one start and scored one goal.
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It was a tough situation for him, joining a team already in the swing of things, learning the team’s pressing system on the fly while playing a position where the team had plenty of other options in a country that was new to him. But when City SC sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel was asked about going on the market to replace Niko Gioacchini after he left for Italy, the first thing he brought up was the acquisition of Thorisson last summer making the team prepared for this season.
“We signed that player particularly as a second striker or offensive player,†Pfannenstiel said. “That was always the plan, so that does not put any pressure on us now to replace Niko one to one.â€
The team will be looking for more from Thorisson this season, and he has shown in his career he can score goals. In 2022, he scored 17 goals in 20 games to lead the league in his native Iceland. He has a goal and an assist so far in three preseason games as he’s been a much bigger component of the team’s offense.
“I don't believe we've seen the best of Nokkvi,†City SC coach Bradley Carnell said. “Last year, he came in at a tough time — the show was already on the road — for him to be just a participating fixture. Credit to him. He really stuck it out there and tried his best, and now that we can see all hands equal, everyone's on the same baseline. And now can he put himself in windows of opportunity to impress, so yeah, he's on a good way.â€
The first thing that’s better for Thorisson, 24, is that he’s with the team now. This season, he’s around from Day 1.
“It's always just an adjustment period,†he said. “I wouldn't say it's hard or easy, but you always just need time to adjust and that's no matter where you go. Of course in the middle of the season, it's more difficult than when you get a preseason. But now I get a preseason so it's all good.
“It's exactly what I needed to get in rhythm and get going for the season. And get to know the boys even better because that's what preseason is for. You have a clean slate and it's an unwritten story, and I'm excited for it.â€
The competition up top is still ample, even with Gioacchini gone. Klauss and Samuel Adeniran, who were both among the league leaders in goals per 90 minutes last season, figure as the combination when the team goes with two strikers, and after that, there’s Eduard Lowen, Aziel Jackson, Indiana Vassilev, Tomas Ostrak (from whom the team is expecting big things this season), Celio Pompeu and Rasmus Alm (when healthy) as attacking midfielders, with Njabulo Blom and Chris Durkin as defensive midfielders.
“We have so many quality players,†Thorisson said, “so the challenges (of replacing Gioacchini) I don't see as challenges, just as new opportunities. We have a lot of quality up front, and of course (Gioacchini)'s a great player, good friend. I hope all the best for him. But I believe we have that good of a squad and that good of a team that it doesn't faze us that much.
“I'm just focusing on trying to get better and trying to improve myself and get better as a player and then the minutes will come.â€
He's also learned more about ºüÀêÊÓƵ weather. When he arrived in the summer, the temperatures in ºüÀêÊÓƵ were hotter than the hottest day ever in Iceland. When he got back before the team went to camp in Florida, temperatures were below 0 in the ºüÀêÊÓƵ region.
"I've experienced cold before," he said, "but I had told my wife like my hands have never gotten so cold so fast as the day when we left to Florida. I think I've never experienced such a cold day.
"Maybe it's because it's more humid here, but it feels a lot colder than it is in Iceland. So minus-20 (Celsius, the equivalent of minus-4 Fahrenheit) here versus minus-20 in Iceland, I'll take minus-20 in Iceland all day."